Semifinals: Josh Ravitz vs. Jeremy Sparkman

Both Josh Ravitz and Jeremy Sparkman had overcome aggressive opponents with their Black-based Devotion decks in the Quarterfinal. Now they faced a mirror. Which of these two Pack Rat Connoisseurs would earn a seat in the finals?

Neither player made a move for the first two turns, and it was Josh, on the draw, who opened the action with a turn 3 Underworld Connections. Jeremy had an enchantment of his own on turn 4, casting Whip of Erebos. He attempted a Gray Merchant of Asphodel on his next turn, but Josh killed it with Hero’s Downfall while the trigger was on the stack, then untapped and cast a Desecration Demon.

Another Gray Merchant came down for Jeremy, dropping Josh to 12, but Josh fired right back with a Gray Merchant of his own, jumping back up to 18 and dropping Jeremy to 14. Jeremy wasn’t done with the merchant show, casting a third Gray Merchant of Asphodel on his own turn to jump back up to 20 and send Josh back down to 12. Josh attacked with his Demon, bus passed the turn right back with mana up.

Gray Merchant of Asphodel from Josh made up some ground, jumping him back up to 20 and sending Jeremy to 11, and then to 6 from the Erebos attack. Jeremy made another Rat token and attacked with two of them, knocking Josh down to 14. When Josh cast a second copy of Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Jeremy was forced to use Hero’s Downfall to kill off the first rather than make a Rat, falling to 1. Another Rat chump blocked the Erebos, and Jeremy untapped in a precarious spot.

After considering his options, Jeremy made two Rat tokens and came crashing, leaving back exactly two blockers. Josh showed him a removal spell to clear one away, taking the match.